A LARGE family-owned garden centre is set to be sold off and transformed into nearly 100 homes as the owners prepare to retire after 44 years.

The Alpha Garden Centre, in London Road, Wickford, has already started to wind down and owner Dean Amos, 64, has confirmed the family is planning to sell the land as he stops working.

Mr Amos has been involved in running what started as a traditional family garden centre since 1980 before it expanded and multiple businesses, including a café, set up base on the site.

It comes after firm Arebray Development Limited launched a consultation with residents over proposed plans to build more than 90 homes on the site.

Mr Amos hopes to see the planning application in for the site this month and put before Basildon Council’s planning committee by the end of the year.

He said: “We are looking to sell the site.

“We are at the age of retirement, and no one wants to take it over. We want to sell it and fortunately for us and many others, we have an opportunity to put it into housing.

“People want to know what is happening and I understand that. We have talked to all of our tenants, we know them all and there is no agent involved, there is no third-party, just me and my two brothers.”

The garden centre part of the business has been closed since September 2023, although Mr Amos said they have had interest in re-opening for the remainder of the time the family owns the land.

He has also informed the owners of the many businesses who share the site including the Lillies Cafe and Creation Aquatics of the decision and is “working to make it fair to them”.

“They are in the picture of what is happening, you can never have happiness when finishing a business, I really understand the concern and feelings,” he added.

“We care about them, they have supported us for years, and we don’t want to see families thrown by the wayside.”